Friendship Links

Soroptimists work in a number of ways to promote the spirit of friendship and one such way is through linking with clubs in and outside the Federation. Friendship links became the meeting point of women across the world. This not only promotes bonding but builds ties of understanding of each others' regions, cultures and challenges. It brings together women to work together on Soroptimist goals in that spirit of friendship.

Shared and joint projects forward the programme action to another level and link clubs find innovative ways to support and address the issues facing women and girls in each others' communities.

The Founder President's theme 'BONDING WITH THE BEST' focused on international goodwill and friendship. 2010 - 2012 was a period of visits to and from the Club. It culminated in the Grant of Friendship which was offered to our link Club SI Truckee Meadows in Feb 2012. Monica House and her mother Carolann a former Soroptimist were with SIPME for 14 days and it lead to a very healthy cultural exchange and understanding of our projects.

Some of our project work has been supported by our Friendship Link Clubs:

Friendship Links at SIGBI Conference Glasgow 2015:Conferences have a great place and ambience to meet, exchange notes and nurture the bonding of Friendship Link Clubs. At the 81st SIGBI Conference in Glasgow, SIPME got the opportunity to do just that with their Friendship Link Clubs in the UK. Communications Officer Nisha Ghosh and Rupal Katariya a member were met warmly by all the five Club members at the Friendship Link Lounge of the SECC Clyde Auditorium, the venue of the Conference. The two members of SIPME presented SI Barbados and SI Dundee with gifts from the President of SIPME as well as had them sign the Friendship Link Certificate. Both members also attended the meeting of SI Dundee and as Founder President of SIPME Nisha addressed the members telling them of their projects Friendship flags of SIPME were also given to Margaret Clark of SI Middlesborough.

Visit by Friendship Link Club Member:Joanne Fraser from our Friendship Link Club SI York Ebor visited India. Two members from SIPME accompanied her for a tour of the hill stations and lower ranges of the Himalayas. Secretary Renu Bhardwaj and Treasurer Yasmin Jamadar extended Soroptimist friendship to Joanne and gave her a time to remember.

Friendship Outreach:At SIPME we call it Friendship Outreach - members are encouraged to meet with Clubs when they travel overseas. This helps them to be strong ambassadors of SIPME while understanding the element of friendship in Soroptimism. SIPME is always eager to host Soroptimists who visit the city, and for the new members of the Club it becomes a lesson in the international aspect of the organization they have chosen to become a part of. Both members of SIPME visited friends at SI Perth and joined them for a Girl Guiding event in Perth. They also met up with Margaret Mowat and members of SI Hamilton. At the Conference SIPME met up with Sue Waters, a friend from SI Kingston-upon-Thames.